The importance of theory in social enterprise research

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to review the importance of theory in social enterprise research.

Design/methodology/approach

The article presents and relates previous work on theory borrowing, theory extension and theory generation to social enterprise research.

Findings

Theoretical embeddeness and social relevance are important for the legitimacy of social enterprise research.

Research limitations/implications

Social enterprise research offers a promising array of opportunities for theory extension and development.

Practical implications

In the social sciences, practical relevance is important for good theory development. Better theories have the potential to improve practice.

Originality/value

The article applies previous research on theory borrowing, extension and development to the context of social enterprise research.

Citation

Haugh, H. (2012), "The importance of theory in social enterprise research", Social Enterprise Journal, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 7-15. https://doi.org/10.1108/17508611211226557